If you’ve ever seen the American version of The Office TV show, you probably remember the “Party Planning Committee.” This was a group of employees who backstabbed each other in order to gain the title of “Head of the Party Planning Committee.” In reality, not many people are that keen on spearheading the job of planning the company holiday party. As a matter of fact, the job often falls to someone with little to no experience in party planning.

Fear not, however. This article is here to provide an introductory guide to the party planning process. Specifically, this is a guide to planning a company holiday party. From inception, to venue booking, all the way to the big day, this article will walk you through the process.

 

Starting Early

The real key to planning a successful holiday party is to start right now. (Well, not right now. You can finish the rest of this article!) Starting early has numerous benefits. It allows you to book desirable venues while their dates are still flexible. It allows you to lock down caterers with enough time to poll everyone’s dietary preferences. And, crucially, it allows you some breathing room. Above all, don’t leave planning to the last minute. That’s how holiday parties get stuck at the office. And no one wants to have a company holiday party where they work.

 

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Creating a Viable Budget

Talk to management about your company holiday party budget. Once you’ve secured a number, begin itemizing everything you will need. Seeing as this is an introductory guide, it can’t get into the minutiae of event budgeting. However, we encourage you to check out this article from Event Manager. It details the process and provides handy budget templates. It is more about “for profit” events. However, many of the tenets and tips are still useful.

 

Choosing a Compelling Venue and Activity

Don’t make the same mistake as past holiday parties that opted for a conventional, conservative venue. Instead, go bold. For example, why not take everyone to axe throwing at BATL (short for Backyard Axe Throwing League)? There, everyone can let loose and let out the year’s stresses. Something like axe throwing combines a venue and an activity. This engages attendees beyond mere chitchat, which is always a good idea. Don’t be afraid to step out of the ordinary.

 

 

Floating Dates and Creating a Guest List

Once you have chosen a venue, pick a general time frame for the party. Then float the dates past your colleagues. Use a Doodle poll to gather data on which dates work best for people. Moreover, ask people to state their first, second, third (and so on) preferences. Once you have figured out the best possible date, you can make your guest list. Check with management whether plus-ones are allowed.

 

Booking the Company Holiday Party

With a date and a working guest list, you can strike while the iron is hot and book your venue/activity. In the worst case scenario—your venue is booked for that day—you will need to go back to the drawing board. Then, either choose a new venue or begin the whole process of polling a new date again. That’s why it is imperative that before you start floating dates, you check with the venue about general availability.

 

Choosing a Caterer

As dietary restrictions multiply in numbers and grow in complexity, the old order-pizza-and-it-will-be-fine mentality won’t work anymore. Where does that leave the gluten-free attendees, the lactose-intolerant attendees, or the vegan attendees? Choose a caterer, whether it be a catering company or a restaurant, that can offer a wide range of options to satisfy all possible diets.

 

Looping in Management

Once you have booked a venue and finalized the catering, management will want to know the general shape of the evening. That way, they can plan possible speeches, awards, team building exercises, and so on. It might be worthwhile, therefore, to draft a rough timeline of the evening. When the day rolls around, this timeline will help you keep everything moving on time, making for a smooth company holiday party.

 

Sending Invites

You know your office best. Depending on the formality of the workplace, you can either go for a card, or simply stick with an email. (Increasingly, the latter mode of communication is preferred.) Let everyone know the date, the time, the venue, the dress code (if there is one), and the policy on guests.

 

As the Big Day Draws Near…

It’s never a bad idea to follow up. Follow up with the venue, follow up with the caterers, and, importantly, follow up with attendees to find out if you need to revise your guest list. Last-minute cancellations are an unfortunate fact of life around the holiday season, when family plans take priority.

With enough planning and proactive thought, all there is left to do on the day is to pour yourself a drink and enjoy the evening.

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The US-China trade war has done more than just ruffle a few feathers in recent months. For Asia-Pacific traders and producers, the idea of an ongoing long-term trade war is becoming a reality. Moreover, the situation is unlikely to ease off for at least a few years. So we spoke to Deepesh Patel at Trade Finance Global (TFG) to ask him what this trade war means for international trade. We wanted to know how trade flows could change.

Patel explained that global markets are now preparing for a full-blown trade war. Initially, banks did not feel the effect of trade tensions. However, the World Trade Organization, or WTO, recently reported softening trade flows as trade tensions continue. These trends appear to be driven by a decline in export orders.

WTO Indicator, 2.10.18. Source: WTO

 

What Is Happening?

The current trade war between the United States and China began in January 2018. At that time, the US imposed a tariff on solar panels which the US was importing from China. Beijing responded in kind with similar but opposing measures. As this trade war continues to escalate, both countries are prepared to raise tariffs a further 25% in January 2019.

China tends to work with manufacturers and suppliers of the smaller developing Asian economies such as Bangladesh and Taiwan. As confidence in the market slips, traders in those countries have become more cautious, slowing procurement in China. In domino fashion, South Asian suppliers are beginning to suffer from a dearth of orders as producers see lower prices for their goods.

Nonetheless, US consumers would be hit by increased costs. That’s because many US-based hardware companies source their components from China. In early September, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook wrote about his opposition to these trade tariffs in a letter to the United States trade representative.

China has little room to negotiate. That’s because there are only a few goods China could impose new tariffs on. However, it could look at increasing tariffs on some other goods. And it could place unfavorable taxes and charges on US companies that are based in China.

 

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Globalization, Nationalism, and Internationalism

Therefore, companies around the world are beginning to prepare for what looks like a gloomy winter ahead. That’s because trade animosities are not limited to only China and the US. Earlier this year, Singapore announced trade tariffs on more than 900 goods in an attempt to prevent a weakening of the rupiah, its local currency. This is despite the fact that Singapore is often hailed as a beacon of free trade among the Tiger economies.

In May 2018, loan books showed positive growth. Moreover, investments in projects and infrastructure were booming. Favorable interest rates and credit availability completed the positive outlook. However, fast forward just a few months and we see a market preparing for a storm. This is particularly true within the commodity finance space. Here we see a slowdown in larger, longer-term contracts.

 

The New Normal

Navigating the stormy seas of trade and supply chain finance in a new era of trade wars is no easy task.

Tariffs will certainly affect the supply chain of the debtor. Here, it’s likely that both financiers and insurers will look at the effect this trade war could have on a business before they make any decisions about lending. Additionally, the effect of the wider trade war could affect global growth. Moreover, when growth weakens, insolvencies will probably increase. This means credit limits could decrease while the cost of capital increases.

Therefore, if you are a business owner or treasurer in a business, consider the effect of these new tariffs on your company’s profits and losses. You might also want to identify alternative suppliers across different markets. Additionally, consider and begin to plan for the potential effect on your business of financing your future operations.

Image credit: StockSnap on Pixabay

WordPress was first released 15 years ago as a free and open-source content management platform. At the time, it was targeted mainly to bloggers. These days, though, it is almost perfect for every kind of website. However, do WordPress and e-commerce work well together? Let’s take a look and find out.

Did you know that WordPress is home to 60 million websites? What’s more, 31% of the top 10 million websites are based on WordPress. Astonishing isn’t it?

Meanwhile, WordPress rivals in the e-commerce sector continue to improve. The best-known among them are Shopify, Magento, and BigCommerce. Of course, there are many others. For an interesting read and to find out more, check out ecommerce stats. They will stun you.

 

Overall Reasons to Use WordPress

There are many reasons why you might use WordPress for e-commerce. The first reason would be the impressive statistics mentioned earlier. If so many people are already using it and their websites are successful why shouldn’t you use it? WordPress is entirely free and open-source. Therefore, tech-savvy people can easily edit it whenever they want. What’s more, it contains thousands of plugins and pre-made themes that are quick and easy to use.

WordPress is continually updated to improve functionality and security. Additionally, most hosting companies provide one-click WordPress install possibility. This makes it a quick, easy, and inexpensive content management system. What’s more, you can customize the appearance of your website through coding as well as by using intuitive drag-and-drop builders.

There are plenty more good reasons to use WordPress, whether you have a business website, a blog, or an e-commerce store. Nevertheless, let’s now analyze it as an e-commerce platform.

 

WordPress and E-Commerce: Still a Viable Choice

WordPress is still a viable platform not only for generic websites but also for e-commerce. Here are some of the reasons why:

Plugins

WordPress currently has more than 55,500 plugins. Of course, not all of them have been tested with the newest version of WordPress. Additionally, not all of them are necessary for an e-commerce site. However, when you enter “e-commerce” into the plugin search bar, you’ll get 110 pages of possible plugins for e-commerce sites alone.

One of the most popular e-commerce plugins for WordPress is WooCommerce. This plugin currently has more than 4 million active installations. It’s a powerful plugin that turns WordPress into a perfect platform for e-stores and similar businesses. For example, if you would like to sell clothing such as t-shirts, you might want to try this clothing design mockup generator. It is suitable for WooCommerce and WordPress.

There are also various other plugins that might be useful for an e-commerce website. For instance, you could use the CaptainForm wordpress forms plugin to collect customer feedback. You could also use it for customer inquiries or to collect email addresses. In this same vein, you might also want to try MailerLite, a plugin for newsletters.

Themes

There are currently more than 10,000 possible WordPress themes. However, not all of them are well-built. What’s more, some are suited only for specific niches. All the same, many of them are free to use as well as highly customizable.

Supportive Community

Photo by rawpixel.com from Pexels

Another strong argument for WordPress is its community. There are multiple blogs and forums that will lend a hand if you encounter an error or a bug on WordPress. Likewise, there are lots of WordPress developers for hire on Fiverr or Upwork who can help you quickly. Some of them even work for fairly low rates.

 

Reasons Against Using WordPress and E-Commerce Together

Despite everything that’s good about WordPress and e-commerce, there are some arguments against using WordPress and e-commerce together. But never fear, you have plenty of alternatives to choose from.

 

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Constant Need to Upgrade

You are probably going to have several plugins installed as well as a custom theme on your WordPress and e-commerce website. However, WordPress gets frequent updates, and this might cause you some issues. That’s because your current plugins or your theme might not be compatible with the new version of WordPress. For this reason, you should always keep a recent backup of your site at hand.

Theme and Plugin Updates

Most of the popular plugins are regularly upgraded with new features. Therefore, in order to get them you will need to upgrade pretty often. Whenever you do, you’re bound to get some errors and crashes on your site. Additionally, your new upgrades could override the changes and customizations you have made to your site previously.

However, as we mentioned earlier, you can easily and quickly repair any problems by keeping your backups up-to-date.

WordPress Popularity Could Put You at Risk

 

Image credit: typography images on Pixabay

Popularity does not always lead to quality and security. We already know that WordPress is superb in quality, but is it secure enough for e-commerce? The answer is mostly yes. However, due to the large number of WordPress installations, it is almost constantly under attack by hackers. Of course, since WordPress is continuously updated, real threats to your website are fairly rare. All in all, WordPress is about as secure as an online content management system can be.

 

Final Thoughts

WordPress was not originally developed for use with e-commerce websites, and it is still mostly used for online magazines and blogs. However, its later developments and program overlays gave it good e-commerce compatibility. So if you’re wondering if WordPress and e-commerce work well together, our final assessment is a resounding “Yes!”

Whether your company owns a fleet of vehicles or only a single company car, you might need to do some DIY car fixing from time to time. After all, as the owner of a small business, you do, indeed, wear many hats, don’t you?

Then, too, you might just want to have DIY car fixing skills for your own personal ride. Car owners tend to feel proud of their vehicles, after all. Moreover, they often feel obligated to have some basic auto repair skills. On the other hand, perhaps you just want to know your vehicles better. You might want to be able to respond properly in urgent situations. But how does one learn DIY car fixing skills by oneself?

When it comes to the practice of actually learning some DIY car fixing basics, people usually do not know where to start. Therefore, try searching online for workshop manuals for cars and trucks. You just might run across some manuals for car-repair enthusiasts at epcatalogs.com. These manuals are especially developed to enlighten eager car owners to feel more empowered when it comes to vehicle safety.

 

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A Beginner’s Guide for Your First Big DIY Car Fixing Experience

Once you have decided on how to acquire information and DIY car fixing manuals, your next large step would be to put what you’ve learned into practice. However, there are a few things you’ll need to take care of first. For example, you’re going to need the right tools. You’ll also need a work space.

Additionally, you’ll need to set aside plenty of time for doing the work. This last item can be the trickiest for beginners, since it can be difficult to estimate the timing if you don’t have much experience.

Below are some tips that can lead you toward a good first DIY car fixing experience:

Make sure to conduct thorough research on your car and the problem you are about to fix. Take into consideration that manuals are usually the most trustworthy resources. That’s because they are written by professionals or even car manufacturers.

However, you can also get advice from other people who are repairing cars by themselves. To that end, you’ll find a number of online forums where you can meet up with other car enthusiasts.

If you want to take care of all your DIY car fixing outside then you’ll probably need to wait for a stretch of good weather and daylight. However, your best option would be to have a garage or another work space where you can keep your car for the duration of the repairs. Try to find a quiet space so that you can calmly concentrate on your car’s repairs. Additionally, clear plenty of space before you start the job and position your car for maximum elbow room.

 

• Give Yourself Plenty of Time

If you expect to finish your repairs within a few hours, be ready to modify your expectations. In fact, it might take you weeks or even months to complete a particular job.

Of course, an experienced mechanic might be able to finish the task within hours. However, as a beginner, you’re going to need to be more cautious and do things more slowly. Additionally, you might even make mistakes, which could slow you down even further. Therefore, try to begin your repairs on the weekend or on holidays so that you can minimize the time pressure.

• Keep Track of What You’re Doing

Once you taken everything apart, you’ll need to remember which bolt goes where so that the vehicle functions as it should. Therefore, take pictures throughout the disassembling process. Additionally, put some labels on the various pieces. Then, you’ll know exactly where each part is supposed to go. Use a white paint pen on metal parts to indicate where parts came from, along with their orientation.

 

 

Finally

The final step of all your DIY car fixing would be to create a final checklist. In this way, you’ll have some useful guidance should you ever need to repair the same part or fix a similar problem. Moreover, when you finish your first big DIY car fixing, make sure you check everything out before your take your car for a test spin. You’ll want to ensure that your vehicle is truly ready for the road.

WordPress is the most popular content management system (CMS). As a matter of fact, some statistics suggest that it powers around half of the websites on the Internet. Moreover, its popularity is well-deserved. WordPress is a highly functional system that almost anyone can use to create just about any kind of site.

However, you might feel that you want to move on from WordPress and create your website using a different CMS. Here we look at some of the different options out there, and whether they are suitable for your business.

 

Sitecore

WordPress is a naturally scalable and flexible system. However, of course it does have its limitations. Perhaps you are looking to move beyond WordPress because you want to have a greater level of control. Maybe you want to work on a larger, more ambitious project. If that’s the case for you, Sitecore could be the perfect option.

Sitecore has established an excellent reputation, especially with developers. That’s because they can use it to create highly sophisticated and infinitely functional websites. Moreover, these sites are also easy for end users to control.

To get the most out of Sitecore you need to be investing in a large-scale project. Also, you need to have a good idea of what you are looking for as well as your ultimate goals for the site. You will also need to invest in development expertise, and you’ll need a custom hosting solution such as Wirehive.

 

 

Wix

Sitecore represents one end of the spectrum and Wix represents the other. That’s because Sitecore offers excellent flexibility and the opportunity to take your project wherever you imagine. Wix, on the other hand, offers something completely different: simplicity. WordPress itself is relatively simple and uncomplicated. However, Wix is designed to be perfect for absolute beginners.

So if you are starting your website from scratch and lack technical knowledge, Wix is what you need. Wix will allow you to make a smart-looking website without the need for technical know-how. What’s more, the hosting will be managed for you. Additionally, you can control your new site by way of a simple drag-and-drop interface. In short, it couldn’t be easier.

 

Magento

Of course, it might be that you are looking to move on from WordPress because you need a site that is more closely focused on ecommerce. If this is the case then you have many options to consider.

For example, you can use WordPress to create excellent ecommerce sites using the WooCommerce plugin. However, if you are looking for something different, Magneto is the Internet’s most popular ecommerce CMS.

Well-known brands, including Monin, Helly Hansen, and Bauhaus, all use websites that are powered by Magento. So whether you are a startup looking to get off the ground and make sales, or a well-established business interested in boosting your online presence, Magento could be the ideal solution for you.

 

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Kentico

But Magento is not the only option when it comes to creating an ecommerce site. In fact, for those businesses that are looking to refine and improve their online store it can potentially make sense to look into sophisticated options such as Kentico. Kentico is another name that has developed over the last few years, becoming extremely popular.

If your ecommerce project wants to integrate your website with a bespoke ordering system, Kentico offers excellent functionality. Additionally, their CMS has improved dramatically with recent versions. They have simplified the interface. It is now far more usable even for end users who might not have a great deal of Kentico experience. This is a highly regarded platform that can be used to make impressive changes to your business.

 

Umbraco

A little different from some of the other possibilities on this list, Umbraco is an open-source CMS. Accordingly, it has a free-to-use community edition.

In many ways Umbraco combines the best of both worlds. That is, skilled developers use Umbraco to easily create powerful, unique, and highly functional websites. However, the simplicity of the platform means that there are fewer complex tools that can potentially go wrong.

One of the major benefits of Umbraco is that developers can undertake and complete advanced projects with a smaller budget than would be possible with other CMS’s. While Umbraco is open-source, you can also choose to purchase a support package. If you do, you’ll be able to get more from the system.

 

Choose the Right CMS for Your Business

If you’re thinking of moving on from WordPress and choosing a different CMS, be sure to do your research first. Only you can determine which CMS is right for your business.

Brexit is looming over Britain’s businesses. No one truly understands what the outcome of the UK leaving the European Union will be. Nor can we know what kind of effect it will have on companies of all sizes. But no matter what your business does, there are some ways that you can prepare. Here are four ways that you can get your company ready for Brexit.

 

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1. Focus on Employee Engagement

Ultimately, no matter how and when Brexit occurs, your business will go on as normal. There will be additional challenges and uncertainties. What’s more there could even be opportunities. However, if you want your business to be successful you need to focus on the aspects of the business that will make the biggest difference.

Clearly one of the most important ways that any business can react to Brexit is to ensure that its employees are engaged. There are multiple studies that show productivity increases and absenteeism reduces with engaged teams. One of the most important ways to keep your team engaged is to constantly listen to their feedback.

Ensure that you engage with your team to establish what is working for them. Additionally, learn from them about anything that is standing in their way. When employees feel like a valued part of the team they are more likely to feel engaged with the work they are doing.

 

 

2. Be More Pessimistic with Your Forecasting as Brexit Looms

Some forecasters are optimistic about the prospect of Brexit. They reason that it could actually be an exciting time for British businesses. That’s because companies will be forced to adjust to a new marketplace. So it might seem unduly negative to suggest that all British businesses should re-evaluate their forecasts so that they are more pessimistic. However, this is just a sensible way to approach the situation.

Of course no one really knows the reality of what Brexit will bring. However, we can be relatively certain that, at least in the short term, Brexit will create a great deal of uncertainty. What’s more, uncertainty is almost always bad news for business. Less consumer confidence has the effect of making businesses more cautious.

So for the moment, revise your forecasts downwards to account for the uncertainty. With more realistic forecasts you can plan for ways to survive any potential lulls in business. Then you can push forward when there is more clarity in the market.

 

3. Push for Greater Productivity

As a business, you cannot control the effects of Brexit. This might seem like it is putting you in a position where there is no way to adequately prepare for the outcome. However, this is not necessarily the right way to think. You simply need to focus more on the aspects of your business that you do have control over.

For example, it has been well documented that the UK has had a problem with productivity. IT has revealed in official statistics that through 2017 the UK’s productivity was around 15 per cent lower than that of other G7 countries. This doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with Brexit. (The UK’s productivity troubles extend back to the financial crises of 2008.) However, it is going to be a problem that remains.

With Brexit causing uncertainty and other challenging market conditions, businesses need to do everything within their power to perform at optimal levels. So it is important to take steps now to boost your company’s productivity. It is important to note that this doesn’t mean you need to hassle your staff to work harder. Productivity is not typically associated with an underperforming staff. Instead, it appears to arise from businesses that lack infrastructure, training, and investment, as found in other G7 countries.

 

4. Retain Key Staff

It is almost certain that one of the effects of Brexit is that there will be a smaller talent pool of staff available. With fewer migrants entering the country, the workforce will not be as buoyant as it once was. This means that it is more important than ever to hold onto key staff. Make sure that you are aware that Brexit could begin to affect your company when it comes to recruitment.

You might have heard of the acronym SIEM applied to cyber security but never really understood it. However, SIEM is extremely important. For example, it can protect your business from the latest cyber security threats. Therefore, it makes sense to learn more about this important technology and the benefits it offers your business.

Cyber threats are evolving and becoming ever more sophisticated. So now is the time to invest in technologies to keep your business secure. SIEM technology can be a great way to do this. Here we take a look at exactly what SIEM is and the ways in which it could benefit your company.

 

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What Is SIEM?

SIEM stands for Security Information and Event Management. It describes overarching technology that detects threats by analyzing activity across network environments. It does this by capturing, aggregating, and correlating event logs. In the process, it identifies patterns of anomalous activity that could indicate a threat or compromise.

The purpose of SIEM is to monitor your network in real time and warn you about potential threats. The software uses behavioral analytics to identify sequences of events. And when it identifies a suspicious sequence, it generates an alert for investigation.

There are many different types of SIEM software available, each with varying feature sets. For this reason, it’s always worth doing research to identify the best solution for your business’s needs.

 

 

Benefits of SIEM

To protect your business from hackers and cyber criminals you need the ability to see what is happening inside your network. Unfortunately, traditional perimeter security such as firewalls and antivirus software is no longer effective at fully protecting your business. You need to have visibility across your network. Only when you do will you be able to understand what is going on. Without network visibility it can be almost impossible to know whether your organization has been breached or is being targeted by an advanced persistent threat.

Identifying breaches early can help to save your business from severe damage to its finances and its reputation. It does this by enabling you to significantly reduce average attacker dwell time. Additionally, it allows you to respond to threats before they spread.

But SIEM actually has a wider range of benefits than simply strengthening your defenses. For example, since the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was instated in the UK in May 2018, organizations that handle personal data are required to have appropriate controls in place. In other words, they must be able to detect and report breaches. This is due to the fact that if the organization suffers a data breach, they must inform anyone affected within 72 hours.

 

Is SIEM Right for Your Business?

With that said, SIEM software is not right for every business, for a variety of reasons. Firstly, these systems do tend to generate a high volume of alerts. Moreover, each of these alerts must be investigated to establish whether it is a real problem or a false alarm. This process can be resource-intensive. As a result, SIEM can be overwhelming for businesses that lack IT personnel and resources.

To get the most out of the software you need to have a good understanding of the best ways to deploy the system. Additionally, you need to know how you are going to manage, monitor, and investigate alerts. What’s more, SIEM systems that have not been correctly configured can lead to alert fatigue. Understanding where to deploy SIEM sensors across a network and how to tune them to identify behaviors of interest can make a big difference.

 

Could You Benefit from a Managed SIEM Service?

If you think that your organization would benefit from a SIEM system, but you lack the technical expertise in house to manage it effectively, you might want to consider a managed service.

A managed SIEM service, supplying a team of experienced security professionals, can help you to identify the best SIEM solution for your organization. They can also perform important yet time-consuming tasks. For instance, they will manage 24/7 system monitoring, alert investigation, triage, and incident response.

SIEM is a powerful technology that can help to significantly improve your organization’s cyber security posture. However, organizations need to ensure they have the experts in place to leverage it effectively and achieve its full potential.

Image Credit: GDJ on Pixabay

Not long ago, a company could gain the loyalty of its clientele based on product quality and little else. But with time, the difference between what a company offers and what its competitors provide has become negligible. Today, companies are increasingly seeking alternative ways to win their customers. In ecommerce business, one such way is by providing an impeccable user experience (UX).

Consumers want a seamless user experience from start to finish. Specifically, they want a user-friendly platform and outstanding customer service. Therefore, companies are increasingly investing in AI software development. They understand that this helps them improve UX and gain brand loyalty.

In this article, Iflexion AI consultants look at the ways in which artificial intelligence can enhance user experience.

 

Emotion AI

A relatively new field, emotion AI represents one of the most cutting-edge applications of AI. Emotion AI uses facial recognition software. Additionally, it relies on data and machine learning algorithms to sort and categorize emotional responses to a variety of stimuli. For instance, it records responses to the colors on a website, product offerings, advertising content, and others.

After training on thousands or even millions of facial/emotional images, emotion AI can categorize responses into meaningful categories like happy, sad, or angry. Businesses and advertisers can then use this information to identify the types of content, platform designs, and marketing strategies that are most likely to elicit the responses they desire from site visitors.

A 2016 Harris poll commissioned by Lithium found that happy customers spend 78% more with brands that they love. Consumers are most likely to feel happy if they feel like they are part of a brand’s community. They like to believe that they share the same ideology as the brand. Or perhaps they actively engage with the brand on social media. For many organizations, using emotion AI to tap into consumer emotions is the smartest way to connect with customers at a deeper level.

 

Bespoke Advertising

It’s no secret that consumers are increasingly immune to the efforts of advertisers, online or otherwise. Between ad blocking software, shorter attention spans, and decades of being inundated by advertising since childhood, only the most inventive marketing strategies are able to get through to today’s jaded consumers. UX guides often focus on the experience once an individual has arrived at a brand’s web or social media page.

However, UX really begins the moment a brand engages with a potential customer. If the visitor sees something that relates to them, they are far more likely to take action. It might be liking a photo, sharing content, or making a purchase.

When used in combination with social media, machine learning algorithms can successfully parse key information about a consumer’s preferences. Instead of creating a broad marketing campaign that may appeal only to a small percentage of customers, companies can use AI to create a one-to-one advertising experience. In addition, with this new more inclusive data, organizations are also more likely to identify previously overlooked market segments.

For example, the outdoor product retailer North Face is using IBM’s Watson to create uniquely personalized shopping experiences for its online clients. By asking simple questions such as, “Do you like to hike in winter?” the program is able to narrow down the appropriate selection of products to show to the customer. This highly customized retail interaction significantly increases the probability that a customer will buy a product and report an enjoyable user experience.

 

Chatbots

Also known as virtual assistants, chatbots are everywhere. From banking to pizza delivery, chatbots are an increasingly common part of the user experience. Trained using a subfield of AI known as natural language processing, chatbots are now so sophisticated that it is often difficult to distinguish them from the real thing. According to Capgemini, 75% of organizations using AI (out of 1,000 surveyed), have increased customer satisfaction by at least 10 percent.

Immune to bad days and frustration, chatbots are a natural supplement to the user experience. However, while they may be able to provide 24/7 support, chatbots are not going to completely replace humans any time soon. That’s because more complex situations still require human intervention and expertise. Likewise, chatbots still require data from human-to-human communication in order to learn and improve.

One company putting AI-enabled chatbot technology to use as both a communication and learning tool is 1-800 Flowers. Using Facebook Messenger as a customer service platform, the organization’s chatbot is trained to use conversational clues to assist clients with purchases. If, for example, someone messages that they need flowers quickly, the chatbot will respond with a number of relevant options, complete with photos, messaging customization, and even delivery choices. The more customers the bot interacts with the smarter it becomes, allowing it to provide an even better user experience.

 

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Automation and the User Experience

When people hear the word “automation,” they tend to picture robots taking over human jobs. But in reality, automation is more likely to augment human tasks than to replace them. This is certainly true when it comes to improving the user experience. From self-driving cars to drones and online translation software, automation has the power to noticeably improve the quality of goods and services in a variety of industries.

Automation, which is usually applied to repetitive or predictive tasks, can aid human workers by reducing costly errors. It can improve quality standards and even detect potential problems that human eyes may miss. In short, this means better quality for everyone, consumers and companies alike. In addition, automation is also being applied to UX design. This means that customers will enjoy an improved user experience from beginning to end.

Just a few years ago, people considered AI-based technology too cutting-edge for widespread application. Today, it is shaping the way that brands interact with their customers and creating a whole new standard in UX. Moreover, this will ultimately benefit us all.

 

About the Author

Yaroslav Kuflinski is an AI/ML observer at Iflexion. He has profound experience in IT and keeps up to date on the latest AI/ML research. Yaroslav focuses on AI and ML as tools to solve complex business problems and maximize operations.

Image Credit: Pixabay on Pexels

There has never been a better time to own a pet franchise. After all, 70% of all American households have pets. That’s an estimated 85 million homes and growing. Pet ownership has been on the rise every year during the past two decades. Plus, there’s no end in sight. All of these factors point to strong revenue growth in the pet franchises and dog grooming industry.

 

What Does This Mean for Possible Owners of Pet Franchises?

Investing and managing your own pet franchise has never been easier. Pet care services is a $100 billion global industry. And, according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), it’s growing.

Now is the perfect time to capitalize on the increasing demand. Invest in one of the many successful pet franchises available. It’s time to achieve and even exceed your financial goals and dreams. What’s more, the best part about owning a pet franchise is that it is one of the most stress-free careers possible. That’s because you’ll be dealing with adorable little doggie clients coming in for their grooming.

 

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Should I Invest in a Pet Franchise?

Are you a pet lover? The most successful franchisees are in love with dogs. This isn’t a skill that can be taught. However, it is one you’ll need in order to be truly successful in the pet franchise industry.

 

What Are the Pros and Cons of Owning a Pet Franchise?

Pros:

• The biggest advantage of buying into an established franchise is the strength of the brand and the loyalty of its customers.
• Another advantage is marketing support. Franchises often have the support of national campaigns. Additionally, they have prepared marketing materials for local campaigns.
• Business support is another aid. There’s a saying in franchising: “You’re in business for yourself, but not by yourself.” It’s less stressful when you know you have a network of support behind you.
• Training, too, is important. Franchise owners know the best techniques that will help you to become the most successful franchisee possible.
• Financial assistance is another advantage. Many franchisors provide loans and other assistance to help franchisees.

It’s important to note that billionaire investor Jimmy Buffett, who is a Krispy Kreme franchisee, recommends investing in franchises that have high annual growth.

Cons:

 The initial payout is always inevitable. However, some franchise fees and start-up costs can be inordinately expensive.

• Royalty payments can be also very expensive. What’s more, as a franchisee, you will have to pay some percentage of the monthly gross back to your franchisor.
• Limited creativity can also become a factor. Most franchise contracts have very explicit standards. However, it’s important to remember that these are usually in place to help you to be as successful as possible.

 

What Is the Best Pet Franchise for Me to Invest In?

Of all the pet franchises, which one is the best franchise to invest in? Following is a list of the pros and cons of the most successful pet franchises. Here they are, in no specific order.

Dogtopia

Dogtopia is an award-winning dog daycare, boarding, and spa provider. They pride themselves on being a place where pets are valued as family and dogs enjoy playtime. Dogtopia welcomes social dogs of all ages, sizes, breeds, and abilities. The company was founded by Amy Nichols in 2002 and began franchising in 2005.

Dogtopia Pros:

• Their target customer is the largest demographic in North American history, women millennials.
• They offer a strong business model. Labor costs are the only key variable expense.
• Additionally, they offer best-practice sharing workshops with other leading franchises.

Dogtopia Cons:

• Former employees give Dogtopia mixed reviews. This could indicate a high employee turnover rate.
• Dogtopia requires a large upfront investment that can range between $416K to $1.07M. This is nearly twice the initial investment that their competitors on this list require.

 

Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique

Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique is an emerging brand. It’s a fast-growing dog franchise that has been breaking growth records along the way. As a matter of fact, Splash and Dash was featured in Inc. Magazine’s list of the country’s 500 fastest-growing companies. What’s more, they were featured not just once, but three times.

From the Splash and Dash website:

“Walking into a Splash and Dash is a unique experience. A bright and eye-pleasing color palette is the first thing customers notice—an inviting, upscale ambiance. Splash and Dash offers the healthiest all-natural foods and treats for their dogs. The toys are eco-friendly. The haircuts are adorable. Remarkably, the prices are affordable and competitive compared to other pet franchises.”

Splash and Dash Pros:

• Their signature service membership is unique. What’s more, it is easily the franchise’s biggest advantage. This service offers customers unlimited monthly bath and brush for a fixed price. This means a shop owner profits from a recurring revenue stream.
• Top-of-the-line IT support and proprietary software help a franchise owner to run and operate their business, a key element for success. Shop owners receive extensive training to learn this software. Thereafter, they have the corporate IT team at their disposal.
• The marketing resources provided by Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique give franchises a proven business plan. Moreover, the company aims for franchisees to break even within six months after opening.
• Online reviews are always four- and five-star ratings, in contrast with many other dog groomers. These ratings stem from the extensive training they provide their franchisees, as well as their business model. What’s more, your Splash and Dash franchise will rate the highest on Google Search in your locale. In other words, customers will always see your business at the top naturally.
• Splash and Dash requires only a modest overall investment compared to their competitors on this list. This ranges between $150K to $175K.

Splash and Dash Cons:

• Splash and Dash, as an emerging brand, does not yet have national name recognition yet.
• They emphasize strict guidelines to keep franchisees on track. However, these guidelines have proven to lead to success for franchisees.
• Franchises have to complete with warehouse pet stores such as Petco. On the other hand, these outlets don’t offer niche products and services like small-scale franchises do.

 

Camp Bow Wow

Camp Bow Wow provides a fun, safe, and upscale environment where dogs can play and receive lots of love and attention. They provide a doggy day camp for clients who wish to drop their dogs off in the morning and pick them up in the evening. Additionally, they offer overnight boarding for clients who travel.

Camp Bow Wow Pros:

• Overnight dog boarding isn’t common among dog franchises.
• Facilities are monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• They offer a great business model that comes with good brand recognition.

Camp Bow Wow Cons:

• A former employee complained that the lack of a good screening program for dogs led to dog fights at the facility.
• Similarly to Dogtopia, there seems to be a high employee turnover rate.
• The franchise requires a large upfront investment that can range between $860K to $1.19M.

 

 

The Final Word

Before deciding to own a pet franchise or dog franchise, you should do plenty of due diligence. Research prospective companies thoroughly. Moreover, learn how consumers already feel about each of the pet franchises you’re considering. Additionally, get to know how current and former employees feel about the franchise. And gain a comprehensive understanding of local marketing and community involvement as well as a clear understanding of the real estate development process.

Finally, make sure that working with others’ pets is something you would really enjoy doing. If this is true for you, then owning a pet franchise could be a rewarding experience for you.